Tobias Richter
Tobias Richter, Switzerland
A student of philosophy in Geneva and Zurich, Tobias Richter began his professional career in 1972 at the Grand Théâtre de Genève, as personal assistant to the Theatre Director, Friedrich Götz. He worked with Jean-Pierre Ponnelle, then with August Everding in Munich, who hired him to the Bayerische Staatsoper in 1977. In 1980, Tobias Richter presented his first staging at the Marstalltheater in Munich and was appointed Director General of the Kassel Staatsoper in 1982. In 1984, he became the new Director General of the Bremen Opera, where he worked with great German painters on his sets. Tobias Richter became Director General of the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf/Duisbourg in 1996, where he built the biggest opera company in Germany. Tobias Richter has directed the Septembre Musical Montreux-Vevey since 2004. He took over as Director General of the Grand Théâtre de Genève in 2009.
Parallel to this, he has also developed a considerable career as stage director in prestigious theatres in France (Capitole, Châtelet, Lyon, Montpellier, Strasbourg), in Italy (Turin, Venice, Naples), in Europe (Zagreb) and in Brazil (Sao Paolo), as well as for renowned festivals such as Aix-en-Provence or the Arena di Verona. He teaches opera in Zurich and Düsseldorf. In July 2009, he was inducted into the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany and awarded a first class Grand Cross of Merit.